Yankee in Canada.com

With thanks to the folks at Wordle (what a great tool!), I present you with a cloud based on the tweets from #sla2008.  The only term I removed from this graphic was sla2008. Click the thumbnail to view the larger image.

Also, here are the Top 15 Tweeps for #sla2008

1. conniecrosby
2. artquiltmaker
3. ChrisVestal
4. yankeeincanada
5. khuffman
6. nengard
7. desertlibrarian
8. leahs
9. jdysart
10. robotfrog
11. raabonte
12. CindysConfNotes
13. carolyne
14. jambina
15. lukelibrarian

Nice going y’all! There’s probably more analysis that could be done with the 1,194 tweets that were re-tweeted, so stay tuned!

I have developed a re-tweeter for sla2008 based on the Twitter API and John Eckman’s code.  Thanks John!

Starting on Wednesday June 11, 2008, the sla2008 Twitter account will become a re-tweeter.  What’s a re-tweeter you ask?  It’s simple.  When a follower of sla2008 posts a tweet with the hashtag #sla2008 in their tweet – probably best at the end of the tweet – that tweet will be posted to the sla2008 account.  The username of the person who sent the original tweet will appear at the start of the message followed by a ":".

If your mobile phone or handheld is setup to receive tweets from sla2008 (See Twitter Phone FAQ), you will receive the tweets everyone posts to your phone or handheld.  Also, you can check the sla2008 page directly to read what people have been tweeting about.  They will also appear on your "recent" tab as messages from sla2008.

There will be a 6 minute delay before tweets are re-tweeted.

Re-tweeting is helpful for:

• separating out your sla2008 related tweets from your other tweets
• sending broadcast messages (6 minute delay) to all sla2008 followers
• seeing what sla2008 followers are tweeting about without necessarily having to go to the sla2008 page (you have to have device updates from sla2008 turned on if you want the tweets sent to you)
• creating an archive of tweets on the sla2008 page

This will be an opt-in service.  Only your tweets with the hashtag (#sla2008) will be re-tweeted.

Using a number of tools out there, you can also follow the #sla2008 hashtag:

• Twitter (RSS)
• Summize (RSS)
• Tweetscan
• Hashtags.org

Further Reading

• Introduction to Twitter (SLA Innovation Lab)
• Twitter away at SLA (Daniel Lee aka Yankeeincanada)
• Twitter in Plain English (Common Craft)

I have developed a retweeter for sla2008 based on the Twitter API and John Eckman’s code.  Thanks John!

I have run it a few times with a small group and and it works perfectly.  My question now is…do we use it at SLA2008 or not?

The proposal is to turn the sla2008 account into a retweeter.  When a follower of sla2008 posts a tweet with the hashtag (#sla2008) in their tweet (probably best at the end), their tweet will be retweeted to all followers of sla2008 with their username at the start.

It would look something like this.

This image is based on the test account I created.

Retweeting is helpful for:

• sending immediate (5 minute delay) broadcast messages to sla2008 followers
• seeing what sla2008 followers are tweeting about without having to go to the sla2008 page
• creating an archive of tweets on the sla2008 page

It’s an opt-in service as well.  Only your tweets with the hashtag (#sla2008) will be re-tweeted.

Any thoughts out there on this?

The word is slowly spreading, so in case you haven’t yet heard…

As part of SLA’s Innovation Lab, and for the first time at conference, we will be using Twitter to make the conference experience more collaborative via use of a backchannel.  The hope is that conference will become a "we" event.

See Twitter at SLA2008 if you need information on getting started.

So, you’re setup with your Twitter account and following SLA2008, now what?

Between now and conference take some time to use Twitter.

• Send a few tweets everyday from your phone, handheld or the Twitter website
• Try to get a conversation going with a few people you are following by using @replies, which are tweets directed at a specific user in response to one of their updates.
• Try using #hashtags to tag your tweets.  (For example, use #sla2008 for tweets about Seattle)
• Try sending links to websites and blog postings
• Look at LiveTwitting.com if you want to organize and consolidate twitter updates from sessions.

There are different reasons to use Twitter during the conference.  Here are a few examples I came up with.  Add more to the comments.

• note-taking during sessions, meetings and presentations to stay focused and engaged
• share gems of what you have learned with other conference participants or colleagues back home
• a "parking lot" for ideas as they occur to you
• connect with colleagues at conference
• direct people to your blog for fuller postings

Keep the following in mind:

• Twitter is real-time and public
• The "whole" world will read the messages or "tweets" that you post
• Twitter is free to use, but sending text messages and browsing the web from your cell phone or handheld likely isn’t, so check with your wireless provider about any charges you will incur by using the service

For conference participants:

• You are limited to 140 characters or less
• Using Twitter during a presentation might distract you (or the presenter) so use it with caution…perhaps add your thoughts following the session
• Keep in mind the standards for privacy and regulatory issues when using Twitter – don’t post sensitive information

For followers of SLA2008 who aren’t at conference:

• By following the sla2008 feed, you will have the opportunity to participate in SLA2008
• Feel free to ask questions…they might even be posed to presenters on your behalf
• Exchange relevant links to sites and blogs about topics being discussed

For Further Reading

• Live Twittering A Conference? Try Live Twitting!
• Twitter, the ultimate conference ‘backchannel’
• One Thing I Don’t Like About Twitter
• Twitter FAQ
• The Official Twitter Commands

As part of SLA’s Innovation Lab, and for the first time at conference, SLA will be using Twitter to make the conference experience more collaborative via use of a backchannel.  SLA2008 has been created on the Twitter website for conference attendees and non-attendees alike to follow.  More on using Twitter at conference is forthcoming.

If you are already on Twitter, follow sla2008 by:

1. Sending "follow SLA2008" from IM or your phone.
2. Clicking on the "follow" button on the sla2008 profile page.

If you aren’t on Twitter, create an account and follow the instructions above.

Follow the updates on the sla2008 with_friends timeline.

Don’t know what Twitter is?  Watch this great introductory video from the folks at Common Craft.

For Further Reading

• Twitter FAQ
• The Official Twitter Commands